The Osceola times., 1887-10-01
WOMAN'S DEPARTMENT.
WOMEN AS EXECUTIVES.
what History Shows ms to women nav
ing Administrative Ability.


have been much impressed, in read
inc historical studies of nations win
which we are little acquainted. at the
Frequency with which | came across
instances Of high administrative aoll-
ity ON the part of women. shown I'M
der circumstances where we have little
reason to look for it. recently stum-
bled upon an instance in the history oil
China at the present time.
Some fourteen years ago, the EN-
peror Tung Chi died without ISSUE ana
a council of Princes chose tho present
Emperor, Kwang Hsu. child three
wears of age, as his successor. Inc
management of the empire during MS
minority passed into the hands oi TWO
Emprcsses dowager-the mother ana
aunt, respectively, of the deceased
monarch. The two sisters, as CO.
regents, carried on the Government
with unusual vigor and success I'll
1881, when one of them, the Empress
of the Eastern Palace" died, leaving
the whole power in the hands OF her
sister, Tzu Hsi, Empress OF the West
crn Palace" Now the instances
won'd be rare in which the absolute
p.,wer over a vast empire could be
shared equally between two men, WIN
out harm to the efficiency of the Gov
crnment. History shows that double
rnlcrships, ms well as triumvirantes' are
apt to prove disastrous in their conse-
ouenccs. and it is evidence OF much I'M
sclfshness as well rs ability upon the
part of these ladies. that their JOINT
rule should be successful.
But the survivors, reign has been
even more distinguished, and read in
General Wilson's recent work on
China that sit is asserted by the best
informed foreigners in Pckin that sh,
has proved herself to be the ablcs'
ruler of China since the days Of Kien'
lung, whose reign was contempora-
neous with the life Of George Washing
ton. She is iifiy-thrcc years of age
and is said to give the closest persona
attention to public business. She hai
never been seen by a foreign official
and, so far as is known, takes no no
tice or account of their doings. Ye
she is supposed to be liberal, or to in
cline toward liberalism and progresi
in her ideas. She has seen the entir'
country restored to peace and compar
ativc prosperity under herrule, and he
dominion, at the surrender of it to he
ward. on the 9TH Of February, 1887
was undisputcd 10 the very outermos
limits Of the empire.
And yet the women OF China ar
cut of from educational advantage
equal to those of men, they are kept II
Oriental scclusion from early youth
and less ought to be expected Of then
than Of men. Yet the experinse q
| China seems to he the same rs that @
other countries. In few eases wher
women have been invested with ad
ministra,ive functions. they have, rs
rule, been eminently successful.
] have read of late in sewers
articles written by anti-sufiragist'
arguments drawn from the suppose
incapacity Of the female mind for tn
higher kinds of intellectual activity
1t is repeated ad nauseam, that wome
have never originated any gre'
intellectual movement, have neyt
written any epic or dramatic master
pieces, etc. Now, if this We're tru'
it might furnish an argument Qhoug
very poor one) for passing la
forhidding all women from writin
epic or dramatic poetry and origina
ins great intellectual movements; bl
it would not seem to be good arg
mont for excluding her from admin
tratiye duties, which are fields of us'
fulncss. for which she has shown
special aptitude wherever she h;
been tried; yet, these are the onI
domains from which she is exclude
to-day by The inconsistency Of legi
lation framed wholly by the other Sc,
-- William d. Fouikc. in ljoD'aR's Jon
nal